1996 GMC SIERRA fuel

Have you recently changed brands of fuel?
If
so, be sure to fuel your vehicle with quality fuel (see
"Fuel" in the Index). Poor fuel quality will cause your
engine
not to run as efficiently as designed. You may
notice this
as stalling after start-up, stalling when you
put the vehicle into gear, misfiring, hesitaIion on
acceleration or stumbling on acceleration. (These
conditions may go away once the engine
is warmed up.)
This will be detected by
the system and cause the light
to turn on.
If
you experience this condition, change the fuel brand
you use.
It will require at least one full tank of the
proper fuel to turn the light off.
If none of the above steps have made the light turn off,
have
your dealer or qualified service center check the'
vehicle. Your dealer has the proper test equipment and
diagnostic
tools to fix any mechanical or electrical
problems
that may have developed.
Oil Pressure Gage
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The oil pressure gage shows
the engine oil pressure in psi
(pounds per square inch)
when the engine is running.
Canadian vehicles indicate pressure in
Wa (kilopascals).
Oil pressure may vary with engine speed, outside
temperature and
oil viscosity, but readings above the
low pressure zone indicate the normal operating range.
A reading in the low pressure zone may be caused
by a dangerously low oil level or some other problem
causing low oil pressure. Check your
oil as soon
as possible.
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/A CAUTION: l!,L- .
Don’t keep driving if the oil pressure is low. If
you do, your engine can become so hot that it
catches fire.
You or others could be burned.
Check
your oil as soon as possible and have your
vehicle serviced.
I NOTICE:
Damage to your engine from neglected oil
problems can be costly and
is not covered by your
warranty.
Shift Light
SHIFT
This light is used on some
models
with manual
transmissions.
The
SHIFT indicator light will help you get the best fuel
economy. See “Shift Light” or “Shift Speeds”
in this
section for more information.
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Fuel Gage
81 The fuel gage, when the
ignition is on, tells you
about how much fuel you
have left
in your tank.
E
The gage will first indicate EMPTY (E) before you
are
out of fuel, and you should get more fuel as soon
as possible. Here
are four situations
you may experience with your
fuel gage. None of these indicate a problem with the
fuel gage.
At the gas station, the fuel pump shuts off before the
gage reads
FULL (F).
It takes a little more or less fuel to fill up than the
fuel gage indicated.
For example, the gage may have
indicated the tank was half full, but
it actually took a
little more or less than half the tank’s capacity to fill
the tank.
The gage moves a little when you turn a corner or
speed up.
The gage doesn’t go back to EMPTY (E) when you
turn off the ignition.
If you have a diesel engine, see “Fuel Gage”
in the
Diesel Engine Supplement.
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Temperature Knob
The middle knob on the control panel lets you select the
relative temperature
of the air flowing into the passenger
area of your vehicle. This knob will allow you to adjust
the relative air temperature independently
of the
function knob setting. Move the knob clockwise
toward
the red area for warmer air. Move the knob
counterclockwise toward the blue area for cooler air.
The right knob on the control panel allows you to
choose the direction of air delivery. The control knob
can be placed
in any position between two mode settings
to blend the flow of air.
/J VENT: This setting directs air through the
instrument panel outlets.
+H VENT/HEAT Use this setting to divide airflow
between the floor outlets and instrument panel outlets.
+’ HEATER: This setting directs air through the
heater floor outlets.
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+.
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+’ DEFOG: This setting directs air to the heater
outlets and toward
the windshield.
DEFROST This setting directs air toward the
windshield.
Air Conditioning
On hot days, open the windows long enough to let hot
air inside escape. This reduces the time it takes for your
vehicle
to cool down. Then keep your windows closed
for
the air conditioner to work it’s best.
The recirculation button, between the fan and
temperature knobs, allows the air inside your vehicle to
be recirculated. This setting helps
to maximize your air
conditioner’s performance and your vehicle’s fuel
economy. This setting also
cools the air the fastest and
can be used
to keep unwanted odors and/or dust from
entering the vehicle. When using the air conditioner,
turn off recirculation after the vehicle reaches a
comfortable interior temperature. When the right knob
on the control panel is between HEATER and
DEFROST, the recirculation feature will
not function.
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The A/C button, between the temperature and mode
knobs, allows
the air coming into your vehicle to be
cooled. This setting
is useful for normal cooling on hot
days. When
you use A/C with the recirculation button
pushed
in, turn off recirculation as soon as the vehicle
reaches a comfortable interior temperature.
With the
A/C on, move the temperature knob to MAX
for maximum cooling.
This setting also puts the system
in the recirculation mode and helps
to maximize your air
conditioner’s performance and your vehicle’s fuel
economy. This setting also cools the air the fastest. After
the vehicle’s interior reaches a comfortable temperature,
move the temperature knob clockwise to place the air
conditioning system
in the normal mode.
Heating
The heater works best if you keep your windows closed
while using
it. On cold days, use the HEATER or
VENT/HEAT setting with the temperature knob in the
red area.
If you use the engine coolant heater before starting your
engine (in cold weather (20°F (-8°C) or lower), your
heating system
will produce warmer air faster, to heat
the passenger compartment
in cold weather. The
use
of an engine coolant heater also reduces the
time
it takes for the engine to reach normal operating
temperature, and shortens the time
it takes the heater to
reach full output. For more information, see “Engine
Coolant Heater”
in the Index.
Ventilation System
For mild outside temperature when little heating or
cooling
is needed, use VENT to direct outside air
through
your vehicle. Air will flow through the
instrument panel outlets.
Your vehicle’s ventilation systeril supplies outside air
to the inside of your vehicle when it is moving. With
the side windows closed, air will flow into the front
air inlet grilles, through the vehicle, and out the air
exhaust valves.
Outside air will
also enter the vehicle when the heater or
the air conditioning fan is running, unless you have
the
recirculation button pushed in. For more information on
the recirculation button, see “Air Conditioning” earlier
in this section.
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Before You Go Off-Roading
There are some things to do before you go out. For
example,
be sure to have all necessary maintenance and
service work done. Check
to make sure all underbody
shields (if
so equipped) are properly attached. Be sure
you read all the information about your four-wheel-drive
vehicle in
this manual. Is there enough fuel? Is the spare
tire fully inflated? Are
the fluid levels up where they
should be? What are the local laws that apply
to
off-roading where you’ll be driving? If you don’t know,
you should check with law enforcement people in the
area. Will you be on someone’s private land? If so, be
sure to get the necessary permission.
Loading Your Vehicle for Off-Road Driving
There are some important things to remember about
how
to load your vehicle.
The heaviest things should be on the load floor and
forward
of your rear axle. Put heavier items as far
forward
as you can.
Be sure the load is secured properly, so driving on
the off-road terrain doesn’t toss things around.
4 CAUTION: ‘ ’
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Cargo on the load floor piled higher than
the seatbacks can be thrown forward
during a sudden stop.
You or your
passengers could be injured. Keep cargo
below the top of the seatbacks.
Unsecured cargo
on the load floor can
be tossed about when driving over rough
terrain.
You or your passengers can
be struck by flying objects. Secure the
cargo properly. Heavy
loads on the roof raise the vehicle’s
center of gravity, making it more likely to
roll over.
You can be seriously or fatally
injured if the vehicle rolls over. Put heavy
loads inside the cargo area, not on the roof.
Keep cargo in the cargo
area as far forward
and low as possible.
You’ll find other important information
in this manual.
See “Vehicle Loading,” “Luggage Carrier” and “Tires”
in the Index.
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Dr g at I
Remove any brush or debris that has collected on the
underbody, chassis or under the hood. These
accumulations can be a fire hazard.
After operation
in mud or sand, have the brake linings
cleaned
and checked. These substances can cause
glazing and uneven braking. Check the body structure,
steering, suspension, wheels, tires and exhaust system
for damage. Also, check the fuel lines and cooling
system for any leakage.
Your vehicle
will require more frequent service due to
off-road use. Refer
to the Maintenance Schedule for
additional information.
Night driving
is more dangerous than day driving.
One reason
is that some drivers are likely to be
impaired
-- by alcohol or drugs, with night vision
problems, or by fatigue.
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I /1 CAJTION:
Snow can trap exhaust gases under your vehicle.
This can cause deadly
CO (carbon monoxide) gas
to get inside. CO could overcome you and kill
you. You can’t see it or smell it,
so you might not
know it is
in your vehicle. Clear away snow from
around the base
of your vehicle, especially any
that is blocking your exhaust pipe. And check
around again from time to time to be sure snow doesn’t collect there.
Open a window just a little on the side of the
vehicle that’s away from the wind. This will help
keep
CO out.
Run your engine only as long as you must. This saves
fuel. When you run the engine, make it go a little faster
than just idle. That is, push the accelerator slightly. This
uses less fuel for the heat that you get and it keeps the
battery (or batteries) charged.
You will need a
well-charged battery (or batteries) to restart the vehicle,
and possibly for signaling later
on with your headlamps.
Let the heater run for awhile.
If
you have a diesel engine, you may have to run it at a
higher speed to get enough heat. Then, shut the engine
off and close the window almost all the way to preserve
the heat. Start the engine again and repeat this
only
when you feel really uncomfortable from the cold. But
do it as little
as possible. Preserve the fuel as long as you
can. To help keep warm, you can get out of the vehicle
and do some fairly vigorous exercises every half hour or
so until help comes.
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